“Saber” Squadron Troopers maintain vehicles in deployed environment

Courtesy Photo | A Trooper with C Troop, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center performs preventive maintenance checks and services on a vehicle March 8, 2011 at Camp Liberty, Iraq. Soldiers conduct PMCS to ensure their vehicles are prepared and capable of overcoming the challenges a deployed environment brings.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

03.08.2011

Courtesy Story

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

By: 2nd Lt. Daniel Elmblad

BAGHDAD — In a perfect world, all the vehicles and equipment necessary for a soldier to conduct his or her mission would be “ready to roll” the first day he or she arrived to their duty location in a deployed environment. However, that is rarely the case.

Despite the difficulties involved, troopers with 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center came prepared to put in the long hours necessary to continually build the squadron’s vehicle and equipment readiness.

C “Comanche” Troop, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, recently received the vehicles that its troopers will use throughout their deployment in Iraq. Even though these vehicles are equipped with everything a soldier needs to properly and safely conduct his or her mission, preventative maintenance checks and services need to be conducted regularly in order to verify these vehicles are mission-ready at all times.

“The soldiers have been working hard these past few days conducting maintenance on these vehicles,” said Cpl. Paul Podhorn, with 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment and a Temple, Texas native. “These trucks are practically new after all the work these troopers have done.”

“It is vital that we put in this work on these trucks because we need these vehicles to work properly for our upcoming missions,” said 2nd Lt. Dave Devine, a platoon leader with C Troop, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, and a Warwick, R.I., native.

While vehicle maintenance can be a challenging task, the troopers understand the necessity of the ongoing mission.

“I have been impressed with the morale of the soldiers,” Devine said. “The work has been hard, but they have stayed motivated throughout the entire process.”

• Date Taken: 03.08.2011
• Date Posted: 03.11.2011 06:22
• Story ID: 66845
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ